Rotary steam-engine



(No Model.)

w. *SMITH. ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

In W72 Z 01 William Jmz'/z. fiyw Patented Apr. 10 1894.

fiijflifrlzyg COMM unmand steam chest.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFF CE,

WILLIAM SMITH, onoLARINDA,IowA,AssIG1 ioR on ONE-HALF TO ALONZO D. sMITH. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,986, dated April 10, 18 94. Application filed September 13, 1893. Serial No. 486.386. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SMITH, of Clarinda, in the county of Page and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a'full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, its'object is to provide an improved construction in that class of machinery, and it consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrative of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with my invention, the principal features are generally similar to those disclosed in my pending application, filed March 3, 1893, Serial No. 464,494.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a construction embodying'my inven tion. Fig. 2 is a similar view on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a transverse sectional detail of the piston and upper part of the cylinder Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a construction somewhat modified from that otherwise shown.

A designates the base plate of the engine frame and A A supporting standards secured to the base plate at opposite ends thereof, and provided with bearings a or within which the driving shaft Bof the engine is journaled. The usual balance wheel B is shown mounted upon the shaft B and said shaft is also provided with a driving pulley B or other suitable means of taking off the power.

A designates the engine cylinder which is secured to the base plate A between the standards A, and is arranged concentric with the shaft B, the latter passing centrally through the cylinder and through suitable stuffing boxes a in the cylinder heads A Within the cylinder A a cylindrical piston head D of less diameter than the interior of the cylinder is secured to the shaft B suffieiently out of center to constantly engage with a portion of its perimeter the cylindric wall of the cylinder. The connection between the shaft and the piston head is, in my present improvement, made such'as to permit an adj ustment of the eccentricity of said piston head in order that any wear between the perimeter of said head and the cylindric wall of the cylinder may be taken up, and perfect adjustment secured at the point of contact between them. Such adjustable connection comprises, inthis instance, a small circular cam D rigidly secured to the shaft B and adjustably secured within an eccentric circular aperture Securedto the upper portion of the cylinder A and extending upwardly therefrom is the steam chest A through which' suitable steam and exhaust ports a lead from the in terior of the cylinder to the usual steam and exhaust pipe of. Between said ports a and within a suitable aperture a in the steam chest is provided a vertically reciprocating plunger or steam abutment E the lower end of which is maintained in constant engagement with the perimeter of the piston head D by means of downward extending lateral arms e secured to the plunger carrying friction rollers e which engage the inner surface of the rim of the piston D, which is undercut, as shown, for that purpose. Suitable radial apertures a in the cylinder heads A allow for the movement of the lateral arms 6 while permitting said heads to engage the pistoncess e within the plunger. Means are provided for affording a yielding downward pressure upon the plate E consisting,in this instance,of a plurality of coil springs a inserted in the upper part of the recess e and serving to constantly press the plate down upon the piston. Obviously any other form of spring, such, for example, as that shown in Fig. 4, may be used in place of the coil springs 6 and in some cases it may be desirableto use rubber or similar elastic material or other equivalent of a spring. The lower ends of the plunger E and plate E may be beveled or rounded, as shown, to provide for the varying angle assumed by the face of the piston as it rotates. In this instance the division walls of the chest between the ports a and the central aperture 0. within which the plunger E reciprocates are formed by separate plates A which serve as ways for said plunger and which may be readily replaced when worn. Obviously from the exactly symmetrical construction of the machine either of the ports a may be used as a steam port while the other acts as an exhaust port, so that the engine is adapted to run perfectly well in either direction.

I claim as my invention- 1. A rotary engine comprising a steam cyl inder provided with steam and exhaust ports, a smooth faced rotating piston mounted upon a shaft at the center of the cylinder, a reciprocating plunger located between the ports and constantly held against the periphery of the piston, said plunger being provided with an interior, bodily movable plate adapted to engage the face of the piston, and means for imparting to said plate a yielding pressure toward the piston, substantially as described.

2'. A rotary engine comprising a steam cylinder provided with steam and exhaust ports, a. smooth faced rotating piston adj ustably mounted eccentrically upon a shaft at the center of the cylinder, a reciprocating plunger located between the ports, inwardly extending lateral armssecured to said plunger and provided with friction wheels engaging the inner surface of the piston rim, said plunger being provided with areciprocating plate adapted to engage the face of the piston, and means for imparting to said plate a yielding pressure toward the piston, substantially as described.

3. A rotary engine comprising a steam cylinder provided with steam and exhaust ports, a smooth faced rotating piston adj ustably mounted eccentrically upon a shaft at the center of the cylinder, a reciprocating plunger located between the ports, inwardly extending lateral arms secured to said shaft and provided with friction wheels engaging the inner surface of the piston rim, an elongated recess at the inner end of said plunger, a movable plate within said recess adapted to engage the face of the piston, and a spring imparting to said plate a constant pressure toward thepiston, substantially as described.

4:. A rotary engine comprising a steam cylinder provided with steam and exhaust ports, a smooth faced rotating piston mounted eccentrically at the center of the cylinder, and a reciprocating plunger located between the said ports, and constantly held against the piston, the plunger being provided with an interior movable plate adapted to engage the face of the piston, and means for providing a yielding pressure on said plate toward the piston, substantially as described.

5. A rotary engine comprising a steam cylinder provided with steam and exhaust ports, a smooth faced rotating piston mounted eccentrically at the center of the cylinder, a reciprocating plunger located between the ports and constantly held against the piston, an elongated recess at the inner end of said plunger, a bodily movable plate within said recess adapted to engage the face of the cylinder, and a spring within said recess engaging said plate and imparting thereto a constant pressure toward the piston, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of witnesses.

WILLIAM SMITH.

Witnesses:

GEO. M't'ILLER, L. W. WARD, TAYLOR E. BROWN. 

